I was glad to read this. I still haven't seen it, but I loved the book. Anyway, this post really helped me see the "problem" that some people have with the book and the movie. I think it's overreacting for the most part, but I do hate that Hollywood has not really given black people a chance (in most instances) to tell their own stories.

Jennifer had some great suggestions for entertaining toddlers. When I read posts like this, I realize that being a mom has not come as naturally as I thought it would. I WISH I was creative like this (and in a prideful way, I kind of thought I would be before I actually had kids), but I'm not. We spend most of our days reading, doing puzzles and playing outside. I know that's fine, but it gets old. I'm going to try to be intentional about creating some fun activities for Annie!

6 comments:

I just can't decide how I feel about The Help. I know that when I listened to it (audio book), I was entertained by it but it left me feeling unsettled. Like something about the way the women (especially the maids) were portrayed seemed off, maybe. I can't say that I thought the book was overtly racist, but I did feel a tinge of "something" not quite right.

I read the article you linked and I do see his point -- seems like it would've come across better had it been written by a Southern black female.

I didn't love The Help, but it has nothing to do with racism. I thought the characters were great and it was a very entertaining story, as well as a great portrait of Southern life in the 60s. It left me unsatisfied in the conclusions it reached, which seemed to spring from a liberal philosophical perspective. Much more than being about racial issues, the book promotes being anti-traditional and finding freedom through breaking out of societal confines, at least in my opinion. The white, Christian, Southern people are vilified and contrasted with the people of North (esp. NYC)who don't just embrace racial diversity but also women's rights, gay rights, short skirts, etc. There is this idea in the book that the progressive NY is ideal and what our society should be striving to become like, morally. Skeeter is seen as a way-too-perfect character. I thought it was rather predictable and one-dimensional. It treats human suffering and injustice as merely the result of bad social constructs, when in reality, sin is at the root of all of our hearts, including Skeeter's and the people of NYC. Sin may not play itself out in racial prejudice in everyone, but it's there in all of us, and as much as we need to rectify injustice in social structures and community thought--the sin problem that's in all of our hearts can only be dealt with through a realization of its existence and grace and freedom through Jesus. The solution to Skeeter's problems is not to wear short skirts and move to New York City. I still think it's a good book, especially as it relates to race in the South, but I don't LOVE it.

I am so excited to have made your list! You need to give yourself way more credit than you do! SD, you are one fantastic mom with two sweet children that have a daily example of living in the Word, being a steward of the Earth, having LOTS of commonsense and a fantastic sense of humor!

About

Peyton and I have been married for just over six years. He is a pharmacist and I stay at home with (and homeschool!) our two children. Our little girl was born on April 2, 2009. She is amazing- beautiful, funny and smart. Then on April 12, 2011, we welcomed a little boy, Graves. We just adore him. I love getting to know my husband, my daughter, my son and my Lord more and more each day. Peyton and I met, fell in love, married, and had our two children in Mississippi. But, because it's always been a dream of Peyton's (and became a dream of mine), in February of 2014 we embarked on what we knew would be a temporary adventure to the Big Apple. We currently live in Brooklyn and are loving and learning and growing so much. But big pieces of all four of our hearts will always be in Mississippi and we know one day (not too far away) we will return. There is nothing like Brooklyn and there is nothing like Dixie and I am grateful to the Lord for giving me both. These are the best days of my life. Thank you for wanting to share in them.